COLUMBUS, Ohio — It's a new year and a new General Assembly will soon begin at the Ohio Statehouse. Although it's an off-year when it comes to elections, there will be much to do at the state level.
Here are some of the biggest items likely to be addressed in 2025.
U.S. Senate pick
First up: Gov. Mike DeWine will soon be making his appointment to the U.S. Senate, replacing JD Vance as he resigns to become vice president.
"This has to be someone who really wants to do the job and do the work and who we think has the ability to do it," DeWine has said, adding that the Senate appointment would also be able to stay in the seat for a long time.
Previously, the governor said that he wanted someone who could not just win the primary and general elections of 2026 but also hold onto the seat in 2028.
I was the first to report that the governor and Lt. Gov. Jon Husted visited Mar-a-Lago to meet with President-elect Donald Trump and Vance at the end of 2024.
I've been persistently pestering DeWine and Husted about the Senate appointment.
RELATED: Ohio Gov. DeWine and Lt. Gov Husted visit Trump, Vance ahead of U.S. Senate appointment
DeWine has been extremely close-lipped about his meetings, and I am still awaiting my records request from months ago for his schedule log.
According to my deep dive, speaking with three dozen political insiders, the frontrunner is Husted. However, several other names have been floated consistently. Major candidates include Ohio RNC leader Jane Timken and Ohio Treasurer Robert Sprague.
Politicos also mentioned state Rep. Jay Edwards, Sec. of State Frank LaRose, state Sen. Matt Dolan and the state's Department of Development Director Lydia Mihalik.
Operating budget
There will also be the 2026-2027 operating budget, providing billions to fund the government and other state policies. State Rep. Jerry Cirino (R-Kirtland), who is the upcoming finance chair according to his nameplate on the specific finance chair door, has previously explained that this includes school funding, tax changes and support or cuts to public programs like Medicaid.
"The job of every Senator and House member as well is to, you know, try to represent their districts well, and try to meet the needs through the budget process that we go through," he said. "If something doesn't get funded now it might get funded in the next cycle.”
House Minority Leader Allison Russo (D-Upper Arlington) hopes for property tax relief but doesn't count on it from her GOP colleagues.
"We've said all along that not providing direct relief on this property tax issue, it is a choice that is being made by the majority to not address this concern and real financial strain on many Ohioans, especially those who are older and are on set budgets," Russo said.
There are options to provide immediate help, she said.
There had been dozens of bills proposed to give relief to homeowners due to the continually rising property tax. Commissions had been created. Statewide reports were released, including one on Wednesday. Nothing widespread was accomplished.
We have a series on property taxes and the struggles Ohioans have been facing. Click here to read more.
"We don't have to wait six months from now in the budget, when — by the way, we're probably going to have less revenue," the leader continued. "There are other tax cuts that are being considered that are going to reduce the amount coming in to provide relief to residents."
The state will have significantly less money than in years before since there are no more federal COVID dollars.
"Do I think that it's likely going to pass then as well? Probably not," she added. "I think there are always going to be excuses not to deal with this issue."
Republicans continue to say that they will eventually deal with property taxes, and it will likely be in the budget. However, outgoing state Rep. Bill Seitz (R-Cincinnati) brought up the point that lawmakers need to really sit down and think about the possible repercussions of their choices.
"We have to be careful when we make those kinds of property tax concessions that we don't upset the school funding formula..." Seitz said. "I would hate to have a constitutional school funding formula upset at the last minute by a series of local property tax reductions that throw that formula out of wack."
Redistricting
The Ohio Redistricting Commission (ORC) is tasked with drawing a new map for the state's 15 congressional districts.
The ORC is made up of seven spots. Two will always go to Republicans and two to Democrats in the Statehouse. The three remaining seats are the governor, secretary of state, and auditor.
This led to the Ohio Redistricting Mess of 2022, where a bipartisan Ohio Supreme Court struck down seven different passed maps, citing that the GOP members of the commission were drawing lines to unfairly benefit their party.
Because the ORC's vote on the map wasn't unanimous when it was first approved in 2022, it could only last for four years. This congressional map was declared unconstitutional, as was a similar earlier version, by the bipartisan Ohio Supreme Court.
Redistricting reform, Issue 1, failed last Nov., so Republican lawmakers will still be in charge. With a slim GOP majority in Congress — there's a lot at stake for both sides of the aisle.
Although a majority of voters shot a change to the current system down, politicians across party lines acknowledge the 2021-2022 redistricting process was a "mess," as DeWine called it.
The governor has proposed another plan — following Iowa's hybrid system — to prevent against gerrymandering. DeWine is on said commission and voted for said maps that were declared by the Supreme Court of gerrymandering.
Marijuana reform
Now that Speaker-Elect Matt Huffman (R-Lima) will control the House and President-Elect Rob McColley (R-Napoleon) will lead the Senate, they will likely have a better chance at changing marijuana policy.
Currently, adults 21 and older are allowed to smoke, vape and ingest weed. Individual Ohioans are able to grow up to six plants with up to 12 per household.
"There were some fundamental flaws in the initiative that was introduced and passed by the voters — which you usually have when there's not a vetting from all sides," Huffman said. "The bill that the Senate passed last December addresses many of those things."
In Dec. of 2023, the Senate passed a bill to restrict marijuana. If signed into law, it would decrease the THC content and raise the cost. Among dozens of other restrictions and changes to what the voters chose, it would ban the vast majority of vapes. It would also limit home-growing marijuana from 12 plants to six.
House leaders had been adamant about listening to Ohioans, blocking Huffman’s proposal.
But now, Huffman is set to become the speaker of the House, so he has a better chance at changing the law.
Sales have already been in motion since August, so House leadership said changing the law now would be harmful and confusing.
RELATED: Ohio GOP, again, proposes restricting marijuana and making it more expensive
When it begins
The 136th G.A. starts Jan. 6. New lawmakers will be sworn in during a ceremony in each chamber.
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